Yvonne Coomber

Painting for me is a love affair. My work is a celebration of all that is good in the world. I am a contemporary British artist based in South Devon with a loyal following all over the world. My paintings sing of tumbling hedgerows, tangled meadowlands, open moorland and magical forests. They whisper of love. Through my work I transport the viewer to an effervescent place of happiness; a place where paint smiles. My mixed media constructions often include glitter, gold leaf and multiple layers of rainbow-strewn pigments and paint that come together to create a perfect harmony. This unique technique encourages my delicate yet sprightly florals to be catapulted up from the canvas in a kaleidoscopic confetti shower of joy. I always works outside, so lacy ice and howling gales have as much influence on the final painting as scorching sunshine and gentle breezes. The weather in a very direct way dictates how and where the paint falls. The creation of the piece is a very physical demanding process that requires my all. The initial marks evolve from an energetic dance around the canvas and the process is full of raw emotion and passion. People sometimes call me the ‘glitter artist’ due partly to my unique use of sparkly fragments and light-reflecting mixed media when creating my flowerscapes. The glitter I use is sourced carefully and contains diamond dust amongst other ingredients. Gold adds a richness and depth so I choose authentic gold leaf because of its ability to illuminate and dazzle. I also use copper and silver leaf, depending on the final effect I wish to produce. The use of light-reflecting glitter helps to give extra depth, and contributes to the three-dimensional visual splendour of my glittery flowerscapes. I have a gallery in my home town of Totnes, and show my work in galleries and exhibitions all over the world.